Comment 109684

By kevlahan (registered) | Posted February 24, 2015 at 18:23:26 in reply to Comment 109682

I know plenty of people who drive a lot who don't define themselves as "drivers" or put the need to drive fast and easily through the city ahead of the needs of pedestrians and residents to safe and comfortable neighbourhoods.

And when you survey people, you find that the supposed selfishness of drivers just isn't there. Even the two bus lane surveys showed that the majority wanted to keep and improve the bus lane, not remove it.

Everyone benefits from the roads, but not to the same degree. Someone living in a house paying $6K a year in property taxes who doesn't drive derives much less benefit than a teenager who drives a lot but lives in their parents house. And both of them would get a similar benefit from goods and other services (which should be built into the price of the goods or services anyway).

The question is really about what the so-called "silent majority" really values. And it is not at all clear that, even in Hamilton, "a fast commute through downtown" outweighs all other concerns.

The strange thing is that drivers don't actually dominate the discussion: that was the whole basis of Terry Whiteheads complaint. But some decision makers like to minimize the opinions of those who actually do join the discussion in favour of the imagined opinions of those who don't.

And, don't forget, Hamilton does not have a goal of "increasing single occupancy vehicle use". Its actual goals are to encourage walking, cycling and double per capita transit use.

Maybe they should officially adopt the goal of encouraging car use for as many trips as possible, and discouraging walking, cycling and transit. It would at least make things more straightforward when it comes time to take a decision!

Comment edited by kevlahan on 2015-02-24 18:37:29

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